Catholic League warns of Catholic baiting after Roberts nomination

, Jul 21, 2005 / 12:00 am (CNA).- Catholic League president William Donohue has taken on Adele Stan of the online magazine American Prospect for stating that President George Bush’s nomination of Judge John Roberts for the Supreme Court is evidence of his "playing the Catholic card.”

"Unfortunately, within 24 hours of Roberts’ nomination, Catholic baiting has raised its ugly head,” said Donohue. “And the fact that it is coming from a mainstream liberal source is even more disconcerting.”

Donohue pointed out that most people weren’t even aware of Roberts’ religious affiliation until after his nomination.

But, according to Stan, Bush is "betting he’s bought himself some insulation—any opposition to Roberts, particularly because of his anti-abortion record, will likely be countered with accusations of anti-Catholicism.”

She says this is a “timely pitch” to “conservative Catholic voters prior to the midterm elections.”

Stan goes even further on her blog, AddieStan, by saying: "Rome must be smiling” at Bush’s choice. She is also urging “liberal Catholics” and others to protest the nomination.

But Donohue countered Stan’s claims by applying a similar logic to President Bill Clinton’s selection of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Steven Breyer for the Supreme Court.

“Did he do so because he liked ‘playing the Jewish card’?” Donohue asked. “And did he do so because he wanted his critics to be seen as anti-Semites? For good measure, was Israel ‘smiling’ when Clinton chose Ginsburg and Breyer?

"The fact that Jew baiting did not accompany the nominations of Ginsburg and Breyer shows how this nation has progressed,” he said.